Born near Detroit, Michigan in 1947, Arnold early on demonstrated a fascination for drawing and painting. Even before entering kindergarten he remembers tackling such issues as linear perspective and animal portraiture. It was not until his freshman year in college however, that he enrolled in his first formal art courses. For a time, he vacillated between the fine arts and engineering curriculums. His pragmatic side eventually won out and the ensuing thirty-seven years were spent designing automation machinery. Ultimately though, he returned to his first love, art, and in 2009, graduated cum laude from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi with a BFA in Art Education. Predictably, his innate fascination with people intersected with his love of art and culminated in work centered almost exclusively on the human figure.

After graduating from MUW, he entered the University of Mississippi in pursuit of an MFA in Studio Arts with an emphasis in painting. During both his undergraduate and graduate years, Arnold's work was frequently recognized with awards in regional, national and international competitions. The hands-on, intensive curriculum at 'Ole Miss' reflects in his figural paintings as they explore various facets of our human condition.